Maxim's "Pipe of Peace" and inhaler, with accessories, in original carton, by J. Morgan Richards and Sons Ltd., London

As the inventor of the automatic machine gun, Hiram Maxim (1840–1916) has a somewhat notorious place in history. Less well-known is another invention of his, an inhaler which he called the ‘Pipe of Peace’.

Soothing vapours from water warmed with a few drops of 'Dirigo', Maxim’s own calming concoction, could be delivered right to the back of the throat via a long swan-necked glass tube. As word of its effectiveness spread, demand for the ‘Pipe of Peace’ grew and eventually hundreds of thousands were sold in the early 1900s.